Exeter City 1 Charlton Athletic 2
Exeter City slipped to a narrow 2-1 defeat at home to Charlton Athletic in Round 1 of the Carabao Cup.
Despite Lee Holmes giving City a second half lead from a free-kick, goals from Billy Clarke and Regan Charles-Cook meant the Grecians will not progress to the next round of the competition.
City made three changes to the side that started the 1-0 league win over Cambridge United at the weekend as Troy Archibald-Henville, Luke Croll and Holmes replaced Jordan Moore-Taylor, Craig Woodman and David Wheeler.
An entertaining first half saw both sides have several opportunities to find the net, but for some excellent goalkeeping and missed chances from close range.
It was the visitors who started brightly, though, with Charles-Cook looking to test City’s incoming left back Croll immediately. The winger initially cut past the defender to the by-line, but the City number 23 did well to get back as Brown intercepted.
But despite the away side knocking the ball around well, City had their first attempt inside five minutes. Reuben Reid did well to hold up the ball for his team mates, before picking out an exquisite pass to find Holmes, whose curled shot was just over.
Moments later, Holmes was in again and running at the Charlton back four before seeing his attempt blocked for a City corner. The resulting set-piece then presented City with an excellent opportunity at the back post, but Dillon Phillips in the Athletic goal did well to block from Troy Brown at the back post.
On 12 minutes City had goalkeeper Christy Pym to thank after he made an excellent save from Charles-Cook, whose close-range effort from Karlan Ahearne-Grant’s low cross, looked destined for the net but for Pym’s block.
The City keeper was back in action minutes later when Tony Watt managed to latch onto Ben Reeves’ chipped through ball, but again Pym commanded his area as he bravely punched away despite Watt’s presence
The visitors then had another good chance, once again Ahearne-Grant causing problems down the City right, but his cross somehow evaded Watt at the back post who was unable to turn the ball into the net.
Despite the away side dominating possession, the Grecians managed to work a good opening on 25 minutes when Holmes managed to find McAlinden, but his effort edged just wide of Phillips’ post.
City then had an excellent opportunity to take the lead, again stemming from the counter-attack. McAlinden, who picked up the ball centrally managed to find Holmes, who picked out Taylor at the back post but his on target header was saved brilliantly by Phillips.
The Grecians then put together a wonderful piece of play as Taylor found Sweeney down the right-hand side, and the Irishman cut in well to fire a dangerous ball across the face of goal, which found Reid whose shot was blocked for a corner.
Paul Tisdale’s men then had the ball in the net through Brown’s thumping header at the far post from a corner, but referee Tim Robinson adjudged the City defender to have fouled Naby Sarr as Athletic were awarded a free-kick.
Read the full match report here.
